MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

7/30 Minor matters

The Iowa Cubs scored four runs in the eighth to beat Albuquerque, 4-2, on Thursday. Bryan LaHair had two RBIs and Mitch Atkins earned the win in relief, throwing three innings of one-run, three hit ball. Jeff Stevens picked up the save.

Craig Muschko gave up two runs on four hits over six innings in Tennessee’s 9-3 win over West Tenn. The Smokies scored five runs in the fifth. Russ Canzler had two home runs and drove in three. Tony Thomas had two RBIs.

Dae-Eun Rhee gave up three runs on eight hits over five innings in Daytona’s 8-3 win over Palm Beach, its 11th straight win. Michael Brenly reached base safely in his 27th straight game with a single.

Matt Szczur drove in runs in the first and ninth innings, including a game-winning walkoff RBI single with the bases loaded, to help Peoria beat Wisconsin, 3-2. Szczur, who hit a RBI triple in the first and added a double in the game, now has hit safely in 21 straight games. However, he’s scheduled to report to Villanova for football practice next week.

Alvaro Ramirez had two hits in Boise’s 3-1 loss to Vancouver. Mesa’s game against the Reds was postponed because of rain.

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